The present invention relates to a style of envelope known as a bangtail envelope. Bangtail envelopes are known in the art as shown for example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,285. Essentially, a bangtail flap is an extra flap included on a conventional envelope structure that may be folded outside, as shown in the aforementioned patent, or tucked inside the envelope as shown for example in pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/324,594, filed Jun. 3, 1999, and entitled "Easy Open Envelope", assigned to the present assignee herein.
Bangtail flaps are generally employed as a part of a return envelope that may be included in a first mailed envelope for commercial activities such as the payment of bills, the ordering of merchandise or the like. For this use, the bangtail flap is generally sized to be larger than the closure flap, and may take the form of a return slip, coupon, or detachable order form, or it may simply be used as an advertising or promotion attachment to the return envelope. When so used, the bangtail flap may be loosely associated with the return envelope since it is located in an enclosed environment during the initial mailing. Upon receipt, the recipient may detach the bangtail flap and discard it, or use it as a part of the materials included in the return envelope.
Meanwhile in U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,285, a bangtail flap is employed on an envelope used for first mailing. For this use the bangtail flap is sized so as to be smaller than the closure flap for the envelope so that it is essentially fully covered for first mailing. Under these conditions the bangtail flap is still detachable but it does not interfere with the automated machinery used to fill, close, and process envelopes, since it is covered by a large closure flap. Accordingly, it may be seen that while the prior art discloses bangtail envelopes useful for specific purposes, there remains a need in the art to provide such an envelope for first mailing where the bangtail flap includes an external detachable coupon that may be accessed without opening the envelope.